Hull Anlaby Park library given two month reprieve

The closure of a Hull library has been delayed for two months for campaigners to come up with a plan to save it.

Anlaby Park Library was set to close next week as part of Hull City Council's budget cuts.

The authority said it decided to leave the library open until the end of May after listening to residents' concerns.

Campaigners, who protested against the closure and held a demonstration outside the council's Guildhall, have been invited to run the library.

In a statement, council leader Stephen Brady said he had listened to the concerns of the community and the representations from the Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson.

'Tough decisions'

Mr Brady said: "Since the government's budget announcement last week we now know that there will be further cuts to local government and we are expected to find a further £6.2m worth of savings.

"This means we have to find savings of £20.6m in 2014/15 as well as ensuring that our plans for a balanced budget for 2013/14 are achieved.

"Tough decisions will continue to be made but where possible we will listen to our local communities such as in the case of Anlaby Park Library."

Labour MP Mr Johnson said: "While concerns remain about whether there has been a proper consultation, this at least provides the opportunity to explore the attractive alternative of safeguarding the library from future rounds of spending cuts by taking it into community ownership."

Hull-born actress Maureen Lipman had backed the campaign to save the library describing it as a "lovely little place".

The proposed closure is part of a raft of measures, including a 1.95% rise in council tax and the loss of 600 council jobs.